Ok next chapter same day. This is the song-fic part… still not owning the characters. "When Doves Cry" is a song by Prince. I don't own it at all and I have to say that 'cause they hardly let people play it on youtube. You should listen to it while you read. That's what I did when I wrote it. So… here we go.
This Little Light of Mine
Chapter 2: What Happens at Home
The ride home was quiet, like always. It didn't really get loud until the two stepped through the antique French doors of the villa.
"Mom, we're home!" Light yelled as he ran to his room. Shadow went straight to his home office, then to the den. There, lying on the chaise on the end of the room was his wife, Iridessa: The most beautiful woman in the city. Most people would say he was lucky to have caught her… but he was the only one that knew the truth. The whole truth.
Dig, if you will, a picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can you, my darling, can you picture this
She obviously was lazing around all day because her normally curly ringlets were as flat as a board: a sure sign of bed-head, and nothing but expensive lace lingerie and the white silk robe she bought yesterday covered her voluptuous, yellow-furred curves.
Dream, if you will, a courtyard
And oceans of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses
They feel the heat, the heat between me and you
She was sprawled out over the chair with a cigarette in her hand watching something on television. Her eyes darted from the screen to the dark figure, then back to the set.
"Iridessa," he called. No response. "Iridessa!"
"What is it, Shadow?" She spoke, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"You're smoking again." He moved closer to her and leaned against the chaise.
"What's your point?" She didn't even look at him. She already knew how this was going to play out. She would win, like she always did.
"You can't smoke in the house. You know Light has asthma."
Iridessa took a long drag of her cigarette and blew the smoke into her husband's frowning face. She had a sly smile plastered on her lips. "Well, it's not like he's down here, now is it?"
How could you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that's so cold
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold
"We have central air, Iridessa, whatever happens down here, goes up there, too. The doctor said to-"
"What do you want me to do, Shadow, stop smoking?" She stood, her voice getting louder.
"Or at least be considerate and go outside!" He raised his to match hers. "He's our son! Don't you care?"
"You know I never wanted kids in the first place." She spoke. "I like sex, Shadow, not the results of it."
"And I didn't think you could be anymore heartless." He gave her a disgusted look. "I can't believe you just said that."
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied
"And how am I supposed to go outside dressed like this?" she added.
"Maybe if you had decided to get dressed instead of lounging around all day…"
"Or maybe 'cause the clothes you bought me were cheap pieces of crap!"
"Oh please," Shadow scoffed. "I spent more money on that wardrobe then I did for Light's birthday party. Besides, you liked them when you got them."
She turned away. "That's because the king was over. He's one of your friends so the actress was needed on stage."
Why do we scream at each other?
"You know, you're a bitch, Iridessa!"
"Oh, Shadow, are you getting angry?" She giggled. "And I thought the wife was supposed to be the nag-."
"Don't go there!" He yelled. He used his most powerful voice. The one that commanded total respect and authority… yet she continued.
"That sounded almost feminine, don't ya think?" She was still smiling.
"Why do I even put up with you?" Shadow turned away and started for his office.
Iridessa grabbed his wrist and pulled him back to her. She then leaned into him and draped her arms over his shoulders. "You put up with me because I give you exactly what you want…" She planted a kiss on his lips, "…whenever you want."
Shadow just pushed her away and continued through the house. "I put up with you because when we first got married, I hadn't known you were a spoiled, self-centered, conceited brat. Your parents wanted to get rid of you so they dropped you off on me. Perfect, really." The sarcasm was evident in his voice.
"Damn," Iridessa huffed. "If this is how you acting in front of me, I wonder how you treated Maria."
This is what it sounds like
When the Doves Cry
Shadow stopped for a moment. She always did know how to get to him… but that was just too far. He turned to look at her with Hell burning in his eyes.
Most people who said that would've been dead before the words finished coming out of their mouths… yet she just stood there, twirled her long yellow hair, and smiled that devilish grin on her disgustingly beautiful face.
Touch, if you will, my stomach
Feel how it trembles inside
You've got the butterflies all tied up
Don't make me chase you
Even dove's have pride
He just wanted to beat the living hell out of her. That would wipe that sleazy smirk off her muzzle. But he would never do such a thing. Yes, he was a fighter at heart and yes, he'd destroyed things, no matter what species or gender they were… but that was years ago. What kind of example would that set for his son, one of the only people in the world that actually cared about him? But had living this alternative family-man lifestyle really made him weak?
How could you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold
Still, he bit back the words he wanted to use and replaced them with something far deeper inside him. "My heart is breaking, Iridessa. We used to love each other…" He continued to the office, "but now, it seems like the only person you really love is yourself!"
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When the doves cry
Light sat at the top of the stairs. He had listened to his parents fight often, but not once had he heard that his mother never wanted him.
Mother's are supposed to be nice and warm. Iridessa never even gave her baby a kiss. She left that up to his father. Mothers are supposed to look out for their kids and protect them. Iridessa couldn't care less about him. She didn't care about anything. Not about him, or his father, or the maids, or anybody. She cared about what shoes matched her lipstick and where all the hot young guys hung out, not caring that she was married or 38 years old.
When doves cry
Tears were falling down Light's face. He tried to stop them but they would not cease to flow.
How could you leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold
"Why can't I have a mommy like in the Disney movies?" He whimpered. "I want a mom that bakes cookies and sings to me. One that I can give candy to on Valentine's day without getting cooties or one that helps me pick out clothes to wear." He wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his Mossimmo T-shirt. He had to stop crying. He had to. What kind of ultimate life-form would he be if this continued? Certainly not one his father, the great Shadow the hedgehog, the dad that all the other kids wished they had, would pass his title to.
Maybe I'm just too demanding
Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold.
Inside the office, the "great" Shadow was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. He couldn't believe Iridessa, the woman he loved, would actually say something like that. He had known her to be intelligent, quick-witted, and fun-loving. Before Light came along, she had always had fun with him. They'd go out to dinner and go see movies and all sorts of things. And they both actually liked it. Now, she'd been acting like a cold-hearted witch. The kind of step-mother you'd see in a Disney movie: beautiful on the outside but wicked and hateful in her soul. Iridessa's soul was as hateful as hateful could get.
Maybe you're just like my mother
She's never satisfied.
Shadow felt something watery hit his cheek. He looked up at the ceiling, expecting a leak in a pipe or something. When he found none, his intellect told him there was only one other cause: He was actually crying. He hadn't cried in 25 years. He didn't even cry when Light was born.
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When the doves cry
A small smirk appeared on his tanned muzzle. This smirk grew into a slight chuckle, which grew into full on laughter.
He was weak. "Ultimate Life-form? Please!" Shadow sighed. "I'm just a joke. A shell of what I once was." He had this feeling before, too. It was doubt. Light would never want a weakling for a father, Shadow thought. I'm a hypocrite. I tell him to be strong when I myself am trapped because I've grown too weak.
When doves cry
He had this feeling 25 years ago. When he suffered from that short spell of amnesia, he had this feeling. He was nothing, only knowing 2 words: Ultimate Life-form. He was confused back then. "Ultimate Life-form? Who? It certainly isn't me."
Back then, there were only two people who helped him remember. One knew everything about him while the other only knew what someone told him. They were still valuable members of the team, the team that got him to where he was now; the ones that helped him achieve what he had always dreamed: to find a place where he belonged, in the heart of his only child.
When doves cry
He needed to find those people again and give his son the father that he wanted. And that's just what he would do.
WOW even I think Iridessa is evil… and she's my fan-character… R&R thanks